UV gel compositions typically consist of a layer of basecoat for adhesion on the nails, one or more color coats to enhance the color, and a layer of topcoat for shine. Each coating needs to be cured with a UV Lamp or UV LED. A UV gel composition set is thus a system that typically contains base coat, color coat and top coat layers. The UV gel composition set's adhesion on the nail and the cohesion among the layers is so strong that it is difficult to remove such composition sets from nails. To remove such UV gel products from nails, it is usually required to soak nails with harsh solvent such as acetone for 20 minutes or more, followed by scraping the product off the nail. Frequent and/or prolonged use of such solvents in this manner and associated scraping can damage nails such as, for example, by making them dry and brittle. At the same time, the removal process is time-consuming.
Further, consumers come in contact with water several times a day during the course of the day, (for example, showers, hand washing, washing dishes, etc.). Such nail compositions sets are susceptible to damage by such frequent contact with water.
U.S. patent application publication no. 2013/0263875 relates to monophasic energy-curable solvent-free compositions which are formulated using at least one energy-curable resin and at least one film-former. Phthalic anhydride/glycerin/glycidyl decanoate copolymer is part of a laundry list of possible film formers in such compositions.
PCT patent application publication no. WO 2015/022438 relates to “novel plasticizers for nail varnish.” Page 9 of the application refers to phthalic anhydride/glycerol/glycidyl decanoate copolymer in a laundry list of possible film formers.
It would be desirable to possess a UV gel product which has one or more of the following properties (preferably, all of the following properties): good water-resistance, good wear and/or good adhesion, without prolonging the amount of time needed for removal from nails. Also, it would be desirable to possess a UV gel product which does not include a basecoat and/or a topcoat, but which has good gloss/shine properties.
There remains a need for UV gel compositions which are safe and adhere well to nails, and which have some or all of the desired properties discussed above.